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Happy Wednesday everybody and welcome to our review of Fright Fest Extreme 2024 at Six Flags Magic Mountain. In this update we'll take you through this years event and give you our overall thoughts.  We have lots of pictures and video to share with you as well, including walk-throughs of all of the new mazes for 2024. If you'd like to check out the event overview (no review) that I posted on Thrillgeek, you can check that out here.  Welcome to Fright Fest Extreme 2024!   The event features a few new Scare Zones which is great to see!   Not sure what we were creating, but here we go!  Apparently Fright Fest is dead, and is now exclusively "EXTREME".
 A look at the merchandise for this years event. Fright Fest Extreme ReviewBefore I get into my thoughts on this years event I want to start with this. I know how much the creators of Fright Fest Extreme love this event. I've known them for years, some for 10-15 years. They absolutely love this event and want it to be as good as it can be. That being said ... We've said this in the past, but we're going to have to say it again. The event is too big. I realize Six Flags Magic Mountain is the EXTREME park, but you can be Extreme by creating a smaller footprint. I don't know where the decision came to add 3 new IP mazes and also keep every single maze that has been there for years, but I'm guessing it came from very high up. Just so they could say they have the most. I will say I was honestly shocked when they announced that all of the mazes were coming back at Midsummer Scream. New Mazes:Trick r' Treat: This maze/house was featured at Halloween Horror Nights in 2018, and to be honest, we weren't the biggest fans of it. I absolutely loved the version at Fright Fest. Easily my favorite maze of this years event. It has the heart and fun of Trick r' Treat with some great scares. Kudos to the team for this one, and for getting it built in record time.  Saw 20th Anniversary: Saw was featured at Fright Fest in 2023 and at Scream Break earlier this year. The maze features some of the same scenes as the earlier version, but has definitely been enhanced for Fright Fest Extreme. We all really enjoyed this one and it is highly recommended.  The Conjuring Universe: Another maze that is a repeat from 2023 but that has been completely revamped and plussed for 2024. This maze was super fun, had some fantastic effects and great scares. If we had one thing to suggest for this one, the effects in the first room need to last a bit longer when a new group enters. By the time we got to see Annabelle, all of the "Conjuring" effects were done. Stranger Things: This was a real "get" for Fright Fest Extreme and Six Flags, and I was really looking forward to it. I will say that the "upside down" sections were fantastic. However, being that this was just featured at Halloween Horror Nights last year, the comparison has to be made. I think the rooms here are too large and there is a lot of dead space. There are some very inventive scares here but I hope that if they bring this back next year they tighten it up a bit and make it a bit longer. They have plenty of room in this warehouse to do so.  Army of the Dead: Based on the Netflix movie of the same name, Army of the Dead takes up the first half of Aftermath 2 that has been at Fright Fest for a number of years. If you've done Aftermath you know what the first few scenes look like, but once you get into the "hotel" the maze really shines. Some fantastic scenes and some funny stuff in here. They did seem to have some issues with the maze throughout the weekend, hopefully they've gotten them resolved.   Returning MazesHere's a quick rundown of the returning mazes, we all know what's there, but I definitely have some thoughts. Willoughby's Resurrected: There was a new entrance this year, gone is the intro room where you had to walk down a few stairs, which is fine. Nothing new in here and a little light on scareactors.  Sewer of Souls: Another returning maze that actually seemed to be much better this year. I don't think there were any changes in the maze itself, but this was packed with scareactors. Aftermath Nocturnal Hunt: I know the park is labeling this as a 'NEW' maze, but think of the second half of Aftermath 2, but reversed, and a few new twists and turns, and there you have it. Truth or Dare: Now in it's 3rd year, this really promising theme of a maze really doesn't deliver. We did do a video walkthrough of this maze, it was 4 minutes long, there were 4 total scareactors in the maze.  Vault 666: I'll be honest, I've never been the biggest fan of this maze, and it doesn't really bare any resemblance to it's first iteration which was some Island of Dr. Moreau thing going on, and now it's just a mish-mash of things. It's well passed time to retire this maze. Condemned: They have abandoned the "house party" theme for Fright Fest and gone back to the original theme of the maze. I'm not sure why, but this is another maze that should be retired. Scare ZonesScare Zones are really where Fright Fest (Extreme or otherwise) has always shined. And this year is no different. New Scare Zones include:
And the classic returning scare zones including Nightmares, Devil's Triangle, City Under Siege, CarnivHELL, The Deadzone and Exile Hill.   One of our favorite characters from any Haunt.   City Under Siege  Waiting for the next victim    Absolutely loved the new scarezone Underworlds of Oz       This year you are forced to go through CarnivHELL   The lighting team at Fright Fest is second to none     Trick r' Treat can be found all around the park, a very nice touch.  The lighting in Grimmlore Ridge was absolutely fantastic.    Final ThoughtsThe question always comes down to "would you recommend this event", and this year the answer is yes. Despite a lack of scareactors in a few mazes and a few mazes that have been around for more than a few years too long, the event is always a blast. That being said ... Six Flags Magic Mountain is simply too big to have haunts and scare zones in every nook and cranny of the park. It's literally exhausting trying to get everything done in one night. I ran a 1/2 marathon the weekend before in the extreme heat and I was honestly more tired from Fright Fest than I was from that race. Not only does having a large footprint for Fright Fest require an amount of scareactors that are simply not available in the busy Southern California Halloween market, it also requires makeup artists, costuming, line control staff, maze security and more. I would much rather them concentrate on QUALITY over QUANTITY. And for too long, they've been concentrating on quantity. If I was in charge this is how I would change Fright Fest in 2025. The Willoughby's are a Fright Fest staple, and they should always be represented at the event. They are as classic to Magic Mountain as any of the parks classic coasters. That being said, Willoughby's Haunted Mansion needs a complete facelift. In fact, I would completely abandon the existing location and move it to where Vault 666 or Condemned are. In addition I would retire Sewer of Souls and Exile Hill. Meaning no haunts or scare zones up on the hill. Truth or Dare, Condemned, Aftermath and Vault 666 should be retired. If Trick r' Treat is coming back, let's give it a permanent location in the warehouse where Truth or Dare is. I'd love to see what they could do with that space and that IP. If Willoughby's is moved to Condemned, The Conjuring should be moved to the Vault 666 location. This means that instead of 11 mazes with varying levels of quality and some devoid of talent, you have 6 mazes (Saw, Trick r' Treat, The Conjuring, Stranger Things, Army of the Dead and Willoughby's) where you can move those resources to. All of your mazes are located from the front of the park to back near Apocalypse. No more Exile Hill and no maze near Tatsu. The only scarezone outside of that area would be Nightmares, which definitely should not ever leave. Lastly, abandon superfluous scare zones just for the sake of having "more than any other park". If you can't fill the scare zone with scareactors, it shouldn't exist. So while we loved the lighting of Grimmlore Ridge, it's simply not big enough and there weren't enough actors there. This also applies to The Deadzone. I'd much rather them concentrate on filling up the centralized scare zones with monsters than having 1 or 2 monsters in a scare zone. Have you visited Fright Fest Extreme this year? What were your thoughts? Related Videos
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Happy Monday and welcome to our first update from Six Flags Magic Mountain in a bit. We've been rather busy so haven't really had time to get up to the park to check out what's going on and experience the new events going on at the park.
But I had some time last Friday and needed some coaster fun, so headed up to the park. There doesn't seem to be too much going on right now, guessing most of it is happening backstage for Fright Fest. I'm sure we'll get some news coming up at Midsummer Scream which will be held on July 26-28. If you don't have your tickets yet, be sure to grab them. Magic Mountain will be hosting a live panel on Saturday at 1:30. And we'll of course be there to bring you all the fun and announcements. Let's head into the park for a quick update! We've got photos and video for you today! 
No evident changes to anything out here since the merger with Cedar Fair.
But it's now acceptable to wear Cedar Point shirts at Magic Mountain, and vice versa. Who would have ever thought it would actually happen?
The geese are hanging out as always. Always a fun greeting from them.
I hadn't ridden anything too extreme since our Orlando trip in May so figured I'd start with a classic. Almost got a zen ride but a front row ride on the first train of the day was good enough.
Looks like the bus sustained some damage when it ran over Mr. Six for the Fright Fest announcement.
The general consensus is that Aftermath 2 will be converted to Army of the Dead for Fright Fest, and it does look like some work is going on.
The main building is still there, which makes sense. This area could easily house two mazes for Fright Fest.
New since our last visit, the VIP lounge is now an arcade. I think this is a much better use of the space TBH.
A look inside the arcade. Some arcade games, but mostly claw machine games.
Like most arcades these days, you will need to buy an arcade game card to play.
Unfortunately the boardwalk games do not use the same system but use credit cards, Apple/Google pay or the Cash to a Card. Would be great if they would all be on the same system. Would definitely make it easier for park guests.
The umbrellas that were (obviously) temporary on the new Jet Stream bridge have been removed. We'll see what the more permanent covering on the bridge looks like hopefully soon.
The new bridge looks fantastic BTW!
Somebody on Twitter had asked what the old Dragon station looks like, well here you go. The path of the dragon pretty much ran parallel to the final Ninja Lift Hill. And you can still see the turn-around on the top side in the Ninja Station floor.
Took a spin on Riddler's Revenge for the first time in awhile. Still a top 5 coaster at the park. And I still say it would be #2 at the park if it had sit-down trains. B&M doesn't make them like this any more.
Decided to check out some of the decor for the Heroes and Villains Fest. Have heard great things about this event.
Kitty!
No progress on whatever is taking the place of the Golden Bear Theater. We are getting close to the traditional announcement season. Maybe we'll know soon?
BTW, for anybody who thought we'd no longer be able to take construction updates while in the park, we got some clarification from the park regarding construction updates: "If you’re sharing park updates that are visible from the park midways, you’re free to post what you’d like as long as you’re in guest accessible areas". Hope that helps.
Lastly, a look at the updated parking lot and solar panels. Looks fantastic and a much needed improvement.
That said, I really do hope they are going to repave all of the entry/exit roads before they are done with the project. It needs it.
Alright everybody, that's going to wrap it up for this update. Hope you enjoyed! We will probably be back at the park soon once Fright Fest prep starts happening!
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Six Flags Unmasks Fright Fest Extreme With a Plethora of IP Mazes - Now a Separate Ticket Event!6/25/2024
SIX FLAGS UNMASKS FRIGHT FEST EXTREME WITH THE SAW FRANCHISE, THE CONJURING, ANNABELLE, THE NUN, STRANGER THINGS, ARMY OF THE DEAD, TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, TRICK ‘R TREAT & DC COMIC BOOK SERIES, DCEASED  New Haunts Inspired by Blockbuster Horror Franchises from Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures, Netflix, Legendary Entertainment, and Warner Bros. Discovery to Bring Screams and Thrills This Halloween Season ARLINGTON, Texas — June 25, 2024 — Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (NYSE:SIX), the world’s largest regional theme park company and largest operator of water parks in North America, unveils Fright Fest Extreme - presented by SNICKERS, featuring an expansive lineup of terrifying horror franchises ahead of the brand’s highly anticipated annual event. Beginning September 7, thrill-seekers and horror enthusiasts are invited to immerse themselves in the pulse-pounding excitement and terror that only Fright Fest can deliver with Six Flags’ largest investment and expansion yet. This year, Fright Fest returns with a vengeance and goes EXTREME. Visitors to Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey and Six Flags Magic Mountain in Los Angeles will step into a world where nightmarish creatures inspired by legendary horror brands come to life with Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures’ SAW franchise, Netflix’s Stranger Things and Army of the Dead, Warner Bros. Discovery’s The Conjuring, Annabelle and The Nun, and Legendary Entertainment’s Trick ‘r Treat. Guests at Six Flags Great Adventure will also be treated to a new experience from Netflix & Legendary Entertainment’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022) while visitors to Six Flags Mexico will have access to a special exclusive maze based on DCeased, the bestselling comic series from DC Comics. “For over 30 years, Fright Fest has been haunting the thrills-and-chills season like no other, and this year we are turning things upside down with a huge array of amazing horror franchises,” said Edithann Ramey, “Chief Fright Officer” of Six Flags. “We take pride in offering the best experiences and are committed to innovating our parks each and every year to provide the most frightful memories for our guests. Our themed-haunted experiences, scare zones and harrowing creatures lurking around every corner are sure to deliver extreme frights and unexpected surprises.” Details of this year’s new attractions include:
A mix of the above mazes will also be available at additional Six Flags parks, building upon the legacy of the event’s renowned reputation as the ultimate Halloween destination across the United States and Mexico. Stay tuned for more details. With a commitment to innovation and guest satisfaction, Six Flags continues to create memorable experiences that will keep guests coming back for more epic adventures. This year’s Fright Fest comes at an exciting time as the company has recently added dozens of new rides, attractions, and guest experiences at several parks across the nation, including the new DC Heroes and Villains Fest at Six Flags Magic Mountain, featuring live action shows and exclusive DC character meet and greets running weekends through August 4, and the new Savannah Sunset Resort & Spa at Six Flags Great Adventure, a world-class resort experience right in the middle of one of the largest guided safaris in the country. For a limited time, tickets are now available at the lowest price of the season during the “Fright Fest Extreme” Flash Sale. Fright Fest Extreme admission options at Six Flags Magic Mountain and Six Flags Great Adventure include:
At Six Flags Magic Mountain in Los Angeles, Fright Fest Extreme will operate on select Thursdays through Sundays, from September 7 to November 3, marking the park’s largest and longest Fright Fest ever with 32 nights of fright. The expansion and investment of added horror franchises will establish Six Flags Magic Mountain as the leader in California with a record combined total of 20 haunted houses and scare zones. The park will be open for daytime operations on select calendar days from 10:30am - 5:00pm for Kids Boo Fest and Oktoberfest, with Fright Fest Extreme running from 7:00pm - 12:00am on Thursdays and Sundays, and 7:00pm - 1:00am on Fridays and Saturdays. In New Jersey at Six Flags Great Adventure, Fright Fest Extreme will operate on 32 terror-filled nights on select Wednesdays through Sundays, from September 7 to November 3. The park will be open for daytime operations on select calendar days from 10:30am - 5:00pm for Kids Boo Fest and Oktoberfest, with Fright Fest Extreme running from 5:00pm - 11:00pm on select Wednesdays and Thursdays, 5:00pm - 12:00am on Fridays, and select Saturdays and Sundays 6pm - 1:00am. As the countdown to Fright Fest begins, guests are invited to prepare for the largest, scariest and most extreme Fright Fest ever. The full lineup, including exclusive food and retail offerings, will be announced throughout the summer. For more information on all events at Six Flags parks, please visit sixflags.com. About Six Flags Entertainment Corporation Six Flags Entertainment Corporation is the world’s largest regional theme park company with 27 parks across the United States, Mexico and Canada. For nearly 62 years, Six Flags has entertained hundreds of millions of guests with world-class coasters, themed rides, thrilling water parks and unique attractions. Six Flags is committed to creating an inclusive environment that fully embraces the diversity of our team members and guests. For more information, visit sixflags.com. About Six Flags Magic Mountain Six Flags Magic Mountain, known as the Thrill Capital of the World, boasts 20 world-class roller coasters—more than any other theme park on the planet—including roller coaster icons like Twisted Colossus, Tatsu, Goliath, Full Throttle, and X2. Thrill seekers of all ages can enjoy various events and entertainment plus over 100 games and attractions. For more information, visit sixflags.com/magicmountain or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X (Twitter), and LinkedIn. #ThrillCapitaloftheWorld Related Videos
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